A forum for people who suffer from chronic or persistent coughs to share ideas... these don't have any sort of official approval so you try any of them out at your own risk. I've consigned some of the more unusual ones I received to the Oddities bin on the left. I've also listed very simple remedies separately. If you're a sufferer, good luck, and please report back by commenting on the particular posting if you find success. Or just comment to the most recent posting and I will pick it up.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Still looking for the cure....

I thought I would post something just to keep the activity going, though I've not much to say.... my cough is still very troublesome at about the same level as ever - cough EVERY morning first thing for at least half an hour, then it eases off a bit but comes back at various unpredictable and seemingly random times during the day.
I'm just about to go on a trial for a new treatment from the Cough Clinic at Wythenshawe - it's of a drug that has been quite successful in previous small trials.  12 weeks of taking the tablets and tests - but I could be on the placebo, you never know, so it could be a while before anything comes of it.  Just have to hope that I get the real drug in there!
Will report back....

15 comments:

Pat said...

Hi Nick.
My own condition seems to mirror yours and I've had this damned cough for more than 20 years now. My friends are so used to me coughing that even if I did really choke on something they would just ignore me!!
Strangely enough, I never seem to cough when I'm in the doctor's surgery - I wonder if this is a psychological thing or is it their air quality?
Many thanks for keeping up with your blog, it's good to share!
I wish you the very best of luck with this trial.
Pat

NickP said...

Thanks Pat ... nice to hear from you again.

Now here's a funny thing - I occasionally sing in a folk band and we had a gig last Friday, in front of 150 people.

We'd rehearsed several times over the previous few weeks, and EVERY time I rehearsed, at some stage I was plagued with a bout of coughing. I play bass and do backing vocals and was embarrassed about the coughing, and very worried that it would happen on the night, in front of a live audience.

On the day of performance, coughed a bit during sound check in afternoon ... more worry, "Oh please don't let it happen live..." and ... it didn't! Friends in the audience noticed that I didn't cough once (well I did a couple of times in last half hour but covered it up). I sang, and talked, and played, without interruption!

They said afterwards: "Could it be ADRENALIN that stops you coughing???"

I wonder. I'm going to see if the medical team have any thoughts.... can you mainline adrenalin???

Anonymous said...

Hi Nick

I've been reading your blog for a couple of years, as I too have had a cough for over 30 years!! I can't believe it's been that long. I've had tests done over the years but nothing was found. I then thought it was a side effect of blood pressure meds or the statins that I take every day, but having changed the tablets and even stopping them altogether, the cough still carries on. It has always started with a 'tickle' in exactly the same spot on the right hand side of my throat, and, once I start coughing, I find it very hard to stop. It's a horrible thing and I do sympathise with you. I've read recently there's a new drug becoming available soon to alleviate such a cough. Fingers crossed!!

Kind regards


Sue

Anonymous said...

Hi Nick

I've been reading your blog for a couple of years, as I too have had a cough for over 30 years!! I can't believe it's been that long. I've had tests done over the years but nothing was found. I then thought it was a side effect of blood pressure meds or the statins that I take every day, but having changed the tablets and even stopping them altogether, the cough still carries on. It has always started with a 'tickle' in exactly the same spot on the right hand side of my throat, and, once I start coughing, I find it very hard to stop. It's a horrible thing and I do sympathise with you. I've read recently there's a new drug becoming available soon to alleviate such a cough. Fingers crossed!!

Kind regards


Sue

NickP said...

I'm burying this because I don't want to shout too loudly about it at the moment ... but suffice to say that I'm currently taking part in the trial of a new drug - I think it's the one that Sue referred to above - and so far the results are VERY promising! When I'm allowed to say more I'll let you know.

Tea and Sympatico said...

First time commenter. Great to discover this blog and fingers crossed with the trial Nick. I have recently become a patient at the Wythenshawe cough clinic after around 12 years of chronic cough. I'm also a blogger, blogging mainly about vegan food and lifestyle but I have recently written a post on tips to prevent and manage colds when you're dealing with chronic cough. Here's the link in case of interest to anyone -
http://teaandsympatico.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/dealing-with-hyper-sensitive-cough.html

Tracy said...

Hi Nick, I live in Perth, Western Australia and have a very similar cough to yours for about ten years. Today I have coughed all day long! It is a productive and thick cough but I never cough up any sputum, just swallow it. I ate porridge with lactose free milk for brekky and then had a latte coffee for morning tea. I cough after I drink water, cough if I am hungry, cough after eating anything, cough after drinking anything!! It is dibilitating and embarrassing!!
I am incontinent when my bladder is half full and my bowel muscles have been affected and I am sometimes incontinent!! I have pain in my lower abdomen and get severe cramp under my rib cage. Ughhh!

I spoke with a friend last weekend.who's grandfather has a chronic cough and after a lot of tests they found he has a pouch in his oesophagus which traps food and fluid, and the cough reflex comes into play to get it out and back down again. This was not picked up by a barium swallow.
I've had every test known to mankind, taken pharmaceutical drugs, PPI's, etc.
I am desperate for a cure!!!!

NickP said...

Tracy, you have my deepest sympathy. That does sound like a bad case of chronic cough, worse than mine!

As I said in a previous post, I'm quietly optimistic about this new drug that I'm involved in trialling. But it's likely to be at least three years before it is approved for wider use, so we're all going to have to be very patient. I'll say more when I'm allowed to...

Meanwhile, I send my best regards to you in Perth, Western Australia - a country I'd love to visit one day!

Nick
x

Unknown said...

I am so interested in the outcome of this , it will change a lot of peoples lives , please keep us updated ( if you can ) thanks Caroline .

Anonymous said...

Hi All,
I am sorry to hear about your prolonged coughing. Thought I will share what I heard if it can be of help.
The current Chief Minister of Delhi had the same problem of coughing. He was advised to go for a therapy somewhere in Gujarat by the current Indian Prime Minister. After the therapy his cough was gone. The therapy lasted for a fortnight or a month, I was told by my Indian friend.
Second option: there is an ayurvedic powder available in Kerala. I tried that andbit usedvto help me.
Hope above informations are of help.
TsheringS

Anonymous said...

Hi Nick,
My mother is in the same situation as you, about 15 years now. I recently found out about something called laryngeal sensory neuropathy as associated with this mystery cough and was wondering if you've heard of it.
Hope we find something soon... I can't see my mother like this anymore!
Thanks.
Ivette

Jo P said...

Hello, Nick. I wish you luck with your new drug. However, I also wanted to tell you about something that has helped me. I developed a cough flying home from Paris in 1999...and have had it ever since. After lots of doctors visits & tests with no help, I happened upon N-acetyl cysteine or NAC. I have found that taking it once daily has helped curb my coughing tremendously. I don't know if you have tried this previously, as I have not read all your blog posts and comments...but wanted to mention it to you, just in case.

Tracy said...

Hi Pat, I am the same when I visit the doctor!! And she comments on that fact too! I've been told it's psycho symptomatic, but I think it's reflux and have developed a cough as a result. I'm heading over to Sydney, Australia (I live in Perth, WA) for some tests and possible Fundopilcation surgery to fix the reflux. This happens in Nov, so will be interesting to see what the outcome is. ����

Tracy said...

Hi Nick and Pat

My last comment has come to fruition. I am sitting in a hospital bed two days post op after having Fundoplication surgery. The surgeon said my esophagus was very loose and so he was able to fix this. I have a lot of fluid on my lungs and lots of swelling from Surgery, so won't really know if my cough will subside with time. The surgeon is hopeful it will. It is major surgery and have to be in a fluid and soft diet for at least 6 weeks. I fly home to Perth from Sydney on Wed 16/11, so I'll check in again in a few weeks time to let you know my progress.

sephie said...

Hi Nick, my first time here my mum has a cough that has lasted over 38yrs and she's 65yrs old been to different hospital but was last diagnose of allergy that was 10yrs ago but was not specifically told what. When she coughs she has shortness of breath, sometimes pass out and get revive in the hospital her vains shoots out and become swollen, around her eyes has gone dark and the eyes are reddish, also painful eyes she brings out foamy siliva, when coughing her body becomes stiff and can sulfurcate when coughing that's what makes her remove her clothes even in public places which is very embarrassing and hard for her and people around her she resorted to tobacco claiming it helps her which doesn't everyone can see that. She's now looking older than her age and her face stressed she is suffering and needs help

 
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